Django Django and Pete Donnelly - Doubleheader

It would seem that blending the sounds of both electronica and psychedelia with tropical melodies would create a giant mess, but that is not the case with London's very own four-piece, Django Django. Not to be confused with the protagonist of Quentin Tarantino's latest spaghetti western, Django Django seeks musical expansion rather than gory revenge. The band enjoys experimenting with all kinds of music, taking whatever genre interests them and infusing it with a modern rock beat.

Formed back in 2009, the group initially met while studying at Edinburgh College of Art. Members Vincent Neff (vocals and guitar), David Maclean (percussion and producer), Jimmy Dixon (bass), and Tommy Grace (synth operator) create melodies and harmonies that recall those of Grizzly Bear and The Beach Boys, full of rich layering. Their debut album Django Django, released in January of 2012, showcases such talent. The album was a great success, charting at #33 on the U.K. Albums Chart and #26 on Rolling Stone's list of the 50 albums of 2012.

Since then, Django Django has put together an album of remixes and cover versions entitled Hi-Djinx! The remix came out this past December. The band plays a full show at Union Transfer, Friday night, March 8 at 8pm.

Pete Donnelly -
December 2011 saw the release of his debut, When You Come Home, a killer album which made many "Best Of" lists for 2011. Donnelly, who was a member of the legendary band NRBQ, is also a founding member of The Figgs, which has a world-wide fan base, a hearty discography, and has toured and recorded several times with Graham Parker.

As the ever active bass player and song writer in The Figgs, founded in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. in 1987, Donnelly has spent the better part of the past 25 years touring with the band, as well as a number of other artists such as Soul Asylum, Mike Viola & The Candy Butchers and Tommy Stinson, Living in the Philadelphia area for the past decade, when not on the road, Pete Donnelly has been writing, performing, engineering and/or producing for a variety of artists, including John Legend, Sub Pop artist Death Vessel, G. Love & Special Sauce, Carsie Blanton, The Capitol Years, Amos Lee and Ben Arnold, to name a few.

When You Come Home is a watershed record in Pete Donnelly’s prolific music career. The 14 tracks were recorded mostly at Henry Hirsch’s Waterfront Studio in Hudson NY; with Fred Berman(Amos Lee) on Drums, and Adam Winokur on Bass; and then over a period of two years in different cities and studios, and with an assortment of top-notch players — including Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum), Britta Phillips (Luna, Dean and Britta), Jonn Savannah (Van Morrison, Squeeze) and Mike Gent (the Figgs, The Gentlemen).

Built upon catchy and sturdy melodies, and played with a genuine sense of care, Donnelly’s songs are testaments to his artistry, each inspired in part by all of the musicians he’s had an opportunity to work with.

In addition to his XPN Free At Noon performance, Pete plays The Twisted Tail on March 14, 2013.